Targeting Lactylation for Cancer: Mechanisms, Effects, and Therapeutic Prospects.

Recent studies reveal that lysine lactylation plays a pivotal and multifaceted role in tumor progression. Here, we provide a systematic overview of the mechanisms underlying lactylation, highlighting its regulation of tumor metabolic reprogramming and immune microenvironment remodeling. We further summarize how lactylation drives malignancy across diverse cancer types and discuss emerging strategies to therapeutically target lactylation in cancer. By integrating current findings, this review offers a comprehensive framework for understanding lactylation in tumor biology and identifies key gaps for future investigation, thereby providing a valuable reference for both basic research and therapeutic development.